UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) vs Radeon HD 8790M

Place in the ranking	726	538
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Architecture	GCN 1.0 (2011−2020)	Gen. 12 (2021−2023)
GPU code name	Mars	Alder Lake Xe
Market segment	Laptop	Laptop
Release date	1 April 2013 (11 years ago)	4 January 2022 (2 years ago)

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores	384	64
Core clock speed	850 MHz	no data
Boost clock speed	900 MHz	1400 MHz
Number of transistors	950 million	no data
Manufacturing process technology	28 nm	10 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	unknown	no data
Texture fill rate	21.60	no data
Floating-point processing power	0.6912 TFLOPS	no data
ROPs	8	no data
TMUs	24	no data

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Laptop size	medium sized	no data
Interface	MXM-A (3.0)	no data
Supplementary power connectors	None	no data

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory type	GDDR5	no data
Maximum RAM amount	2 GB	no data
Memory bus width	128 Bit	no data
Memory clock speed	1000 MHz	no data
Memory bandwidth	64 GB/s	no data
Shared memory	-	+

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors

No outputs

no data

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

Quick Sync

no data

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	12 (11_1)	12_1
Shader Model	5.1	no data
OpenGL	4.6	no data
OpenCL	1.2	no data
Vulkan	1.2.131	-

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.

Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

HD 8790M 3.38

UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) 7.20
+113%

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

HD 8790M 2187

UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) 5039
+130%

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

HD 8790M 9835

UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) 18749
+90.6%

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

HD 8790M 1727

UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) 3895
+126%

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

HD 8790M 12049

UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) 21761
+80.6%

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

Full HD	26 +23.8%	21 −23.8%
1440p	5−6 −140%	12 +140%

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077

6−7

−200%

18
+200%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	10−11 −80%	18−20 +80%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	2−3 −800%	18 +800%
Battlefield 5	7−8 −200%	21−24 +200%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	8−9 −87.5%	14−16 +87.5%
Cyberpunk 2077	6−7 −150%	15 +150%
Far Cry 5	7−8 −129%	16−18 +129%
Far Cry New Dawn	9−10 −122%	20−22 +122%
Forza Horizon 4	18−20 −147%	45−50 +147%
Hitman 3	8−9 −75%	14−16 +75%
Horizon Zero Dawn	24−27 −75%	40−45 +75%
Metro Exodus	5−6 −300%	20−22 +300%
Red Dead Redemption 2	8−9 −150%	20−22 +150%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	12−14 −84.6%	24−27 +84.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion	40−45 −35%	50−55 +35%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	10−11 −80%	18−20 +80%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	2−3 −650%	15 +650%
Battlefield 5	7−8 −200%	21−24 +200%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	8−9 −87.5%	14−16 +87.5%
Cyberpunk 2077	6−7 −83.3%	11 +83.3%
Far Cry 5	7−8 −129%	16−18 +129%
Far Cry New Dawn	9−10 −122%	20−22 +122%
Forza Horizon 4	18−20 −147%	45−50 +147%
Hitman 3	8−9 −75%	14−16 +75%
Horizon Zero Dawn	24−27 −75%	40−45 +75%
Metro Exodus	5−6 −300%	20−22 +300%
Red Dead Redemption 2	8−9 −150%	20−22 +150%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	12−14 −100%	26 +100%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	14−16 −46.7%	21−24 +46.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion	40−45 −35%	50−55 +35%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	10−11 −80%	18−20 +80%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	2−3 −350%	9−10 +350%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	8−9 −87.5%	14−16 +87.5%
Cyberpunk 2077	6−7 −83.3%	10−12 +83.3%
Far Cry 5	7−8 −129%	16−18 +129%
Forza Horizon 4	18−20 −147%	45−50 +147%
Hitman 3	8−9 −75%	14−16 +75%
Horizon Zero Dawn	24−27 +41.2%	17 −41.2%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	12−14 −53.8%	20 +53.8%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	14−16 +36.4%	11 −36.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion	40−45 −35%	50−55 +35%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

8−9

−150%

20−22
+150%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5	6−7 −133%	14−16 +133%
Far Cry New Dawn	5−6 −120%	10−12 +120%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	3−4 −133%	7−8 +133%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	2−3 −250%	7−8 +250%
Cyberpunk 2077	2−3 −50%	3−4 +50%
Far Cry 5	4−5 −100%	8−9 +100%
Forza Horizon 4	0−1	24−27
Hitman 3	8−9 −37.5%	10−12 +37.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn	8−9 −87.5%	14−16 +87.5%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	2−3 −200%	6−7 +200%
Watch Dogs: Legion	21−24 −114%	45−50 +114%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

7−8

−71.4%

12−14
+71.4%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5	2−3 −200%	6−7 +200%
Far Cry New Dawn	2−3 −150%	5−6 +150%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	2−3 −100%	4−5 +100%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	1−2 −200%	3−4 +200%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	1−2 −200%	3−4 +200%
Cyberpunk 2077	0−1	1−2
Far Cry 5	2−3 −100%	4−5 +100%
Forza Horizon 4	1−2 −700%	8−9 +700%
Watch Dogs: Legion	1−2 −100%	2−3 +100%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

4−5

−75%

7−8
+75%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Valhalla	2−3 +0%	2−3 +0%
Metro Exodus	8−9 +0%	8−9 +0%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	5−6 +0%	5−6 +0%

4K
High Preset

Hitman 3	3−4 +0%	3−4 +0%
Horizon Zero Dawn	21−24 +0%	21−24 +0%
Metro Exodus	4−5 +0%	4−5 +0%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	4−5 +0%	4−5 +0%

4K
Ultra Preset

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

2−3

+0%

2−3

+0%

This is how HD 8790M and UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) compete in popular games:

HD 8790M is 24% faster in 1080p
UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) is 140% faster in 1440p

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in Horizon Zero Dawn, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the HD 8790M is 41% faster.
in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, with 1080p resolution and the Medium Preset, the UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) is 800% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

HD 8790M is ahead in 2 tests (3%)
UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) is ahead in 60 tests (86%)
there's a draw in 8 tests (11%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	3.38	7.20
Recency	1 April 2013	4 January 2022
Chip lithography	28 nm	10 nm

UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) has a 113% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 8 years, and a 180% more advanced lithography process.

The UHD Graphics 64EUs (Alder Lake 12th Gen) is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon HD 8790M in performance tests.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.